Serum and urinary prostatic inhibin-like peptide in benign prostatic hyperplasia and carcinoma of prostate

Abstract

The levels of immunoreactive prostatic inhibin-like peptide (PIP), having follicle-stimulating hormone suppressing properties, were estimated in the sera and urine samples of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic carcinoma (PC) as compared to age-matched controls. Significantly elevated serum PIP levels in BPH (107.8 ± 19 ng/ml) and PC (88.7 ± 9 ng/ml) patients were observed as compared to those in control men (10.2 ± 1 ng/ml). Unlike serum, in urine high levels of PIP in BPH (294 ± 49 μg/24 h) and extremely low levels in PC (23.6 ± 5 μg/24 h) patients were seen as compared to control values (137.6 ± 10 μg/24 h). Further-more, striking differences were observed between the urinary PIP levels of BPH and PC patients. The results of the present investigation thus indicate the possible use of urinary PIP as a biological marker for prostate cancer.